Lower Gastrointestinal Cancers (small intestine and colorectal cancer)

Programme description

The Lower Gastrointestinal (LGI) Unit at The Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of over three million people and is also a tertiary referral unit for complex cases and second opinions. The LGI unit primarily treats patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon or small intestine. It also provides input to patients receiving treatment within The Christie Peritoneal Service.

Members of the Lower GI unit contribute to the multidisciplinary care of patients with lower GI malignancies, working closely with surgical and radiation oncology colleagues to offer multimodality, state-of-the-art, personalised treatment.

The LGI unit has an active national and international research trials portfolio in both early and advanced disease. The portfolio currently includes both academic and commercial studies and there are a number of dedicated research clinics. The group has got strong link to research groups at the CRUK Manchester centre and the University of Manchester which facilitates translational research. The coordinated research expansion plan sits under the umbrella of the Systemic Therapy Research Group and aims to substantially increase the research output of the Department of Medical Oncology

This position is suitable for an enthusiastic and research-motivated medical oncologist with an interest in gaining further research and clinical trial experience in lower GI cancers, working alongside medical and clinical oncology consultants.

The candidate will be encouraged and supported to actively participate in the research activities of the unit, undertaking an audit, service evaluation or quality improvement project during their six-month placement. The aim is to present this work in the form of an abstract and a manuscript. To ensure that the clinical and educational objectives of the post are met, the weekly programme will include two NHS treatment clinics, two research clinics and attendance at two multidisciplinary team meetings.

Previous post-holders have been involved in a wide range of projects, including assessing mutations in circulating tumour cells in colorectal cancer, the acceptability of fitness bands in patient assessment, the management of advanced appendiceal cancer, and audits, such as those involving the use of trifluridine/bevacizumab in colorectal cancer.

This six-month clinical fellowship is an exciting opportunity for a senior medical trainee to conduct research within the lower GI disease-related group at a world-leading specialist centre.